Roleplaying and Storytelling

Suggestions?

I've been out of the MUD phase for years now, but have recently decided to get back into it...problem is I'm a rather picky player. There was a MUD that I used to play called The Eternal City that I just loved, but it was bought out by a company named Skotos and turned into pay to play, something I don't think you should have to do for a MUD. I'm looking for suggestions on a similar MUD.

What made The Eternal City great to me was....

-No Levels.
-Roleplay enforced, get in trouble if you don't.
-PK'n allowed if you have a legit roleplayed reason.
-Players could become the constables (law figures) legionaires (soldiers) and so on.

-No magic either so it was completely weapon based in combat. I can overlook this though as I imagine it's very rare to find a MUD like that.

Basically, there was a nice combat system; but the MUD was so much more then the combat, the combat often took a backseat to the roleplaying.

I haven't been there in a couple of years (I hope it's still up and running), but I remember The Towers of Jadri to have a system similar to what you're after:

No levels
Lots of RP (I think it was RP enforced, if not greatly encouraged)
Players did get to high, commanding positions in the storyline

There is a magic system, but it's... You'll just have to see for yourself - definately not the "cast 'magic arrow'" type of thing. It has a great combat system with weapon proficiencies and different weapon attacks.

The world is huge, and travelling through it is both hard and very interesting.

Last I was there, and I remind you it was a couple years ago at least, there weren't enough players at my timezone to get much out of the RP environment (But then again I live in a weird timezone), but the game was great.

Every detail you are seeking is present at Accursed Lands, and I've had a huge amount of fun there the last six months.

Magic does exist within the game world, however it is hard enough to gain or improve in, dangerous to both the casters and those near them, that you could easily spend weeks of playtime with magic being nothing more of a presence then something spoken of in roleplay with a tone of hate and fear.

Specific is good, if you know exactly what you want, you should say so. I think you'll be well pleased with AL though, if you visit it. Rather a steep learning curve, it is not only role play enforced, but most of how to play the game is to be learned -in- game, save what is present in the help files.

It is a RPI, and roleplay is mandatory, and roleplaying is required - though those learning how are welcomed and allowed to learn. There are neither levels nor classes. (there are several races) PK is allowed, and needs to be roleplayed, as every other aspect of play should be. Death, through PK or other means, can be permanent, that is handled through a 'fetish' system. And you can have any role in the game world that you can convincingly RP, from beggar to constable to anything else you can portray well that would fit within the wonderful and unique world. And yes, the combat system is neat too.

No levels, Enforced RP that's above and beyond anything I've found on other Muds, players can pretty much do anything they're of a mind to, be it becoming a Captain of the Militia to mob-boss. The world is huge. I've been playing nearly five years and though I'm still discovering new areas and secrets, I haven't even scratched the surface.

There is magick, but it's a conpletely unique system, plus magickers are hunted and despised in most places, so it's alot rarer than on most muds.

Just to clarify: Eternal City wasn't bought out by Skotos. Skotos and Eternal City's developer, World's Apart, inked a deal for Skotos to publish Eternal City, but as far as I know, at least, there was no transfer of ownership.